


lesser men for lesser things

by highboys (orphan_account)



Category: Kuroko no Basket
Genre: 20 Things, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-29
Updated: 2013-01-29
Packaged: 2017-11-27 10:25:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/660875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/highboys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>20 things about Kise that never happened in canon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	lesser men for lesser things

**Author's Note:**

  * For [namekko](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=namekko).



> Belated happy birthday, Basa! I finally got around to typing this while on sick leave, haha. Idleness does not lead to good things.

 

 

1.

 

 

He grows his hair out in junior year.

It's not anything strange to look at, no. Like this, it's only a little longer than Murasakibara's, and his bangs don't get in the way too much except when he bends to tie his shoes or reach for a wayward pen on the floor, but his agent loves it, the girls love it, this is a thing. It's a really good look on him, the stylists gush, and he shrugs and sweeps his hair up in a messy ponytail to indulge them some more.

Aomine doesn't stop laughing at him for weeks.

 _What are you, a Johnny's boy now_ , Aomine emails him as soon as the newest Vivi magazine comes out, never mind that Aomine would rather lose an arm and leg than admit it.

 _Midorimacchi, Aomine is being mean again :(_ , Kise forwards.

"Die," says Midorima, at their next match.

"Please ignore him," says Takao, maneuvering Midorima out of the way, "he hasn't been reigned in yet."

"It's not a good look on you," says Kuroko, barely looking up from his math homework. Ten minutes in Kise's room and he's _still_ doing homework. Clearly Kise isn't doing something right.

Kise briefly wonders how well he makes his life choices, given the supportiveness of his so-called friends. He's done enough sulking to know that none of it will work beyond soft-hearted girls and his mother, but it hurts him _deeply_ , and he tells Kuroko as much.

"Whatever you say," says Kuroko, and consults Kise's (painstakingly copied from Midorima) trig tables.

No one in Teikou claims to have a sensitive soul.

 

 

2.

 

 

Sometimes Kise considers chopping it all off again. It's a pain to tie up during practice, and he keeps running out of elastics and has to beg some off his classmates while suffering the indignity of toting around brightly colored barrettes, but when Kuroko's fingers brush his hair aside to kiss the back of his neck, Kise does not shiver, he does not breathe.

Lesser men come undone for smaller things.

 

 

3.

 

 

Kise is not as obsessed as some people think.

He's attentive, but not overly. He doesn't send a barrage of group messages to anyone within a thirty mile radius – if his credit limit runs out, he can wait. He doesn't text morning, afternoon, evening, and what-are-you-eating greetings at the speed of light. He's just not that desperate.

He wishes Kuroko is, though.

 

 

4.

 

 

Some things come naturally to him, like sports and dating and math.

"I can't help it," says Kise, preening as the school rankings get posted. "I'm just that good."

"First he cheats, then he brags about it," says Aomine, "what a douche."

"I hate Kise-kun too," says Kuroko.

Midorima's eyebrow twitches every time he has to pass by the faculty room.

Next semester, he's taking Kise _down_.

 

 

5.

 

 

Sex with another boy does not.

"Kise-kun," says Kuroko, infuriatingly calm even through Kise's internal hysterics, "that's not my tongue."

"Sorry," says Kise; this must be how Sakurai from Touou feels every time. "oh crap, I'm really –"

" _Ow_ ," Kuroko intones.

 _So I hear you have no future in the AV industry_ , texts Aomine conversationally.

 _Does he tell you_ everything, Kise despairs. Boundaries. None of them have it.

 

 

6.

 

 

Kise wants some things -- sometimes, maybe never.

Things like: knowing the back of Kuroko's hand, the jut of bone and the circumference of his wrist. Memorizing its length, how it feels in his palm, its temperature.

Even ambition has its own moments of simplicity.

 

 

7.

 

 

He hasn't kissed anyone before high school.

Really, he hasn't.

"Are we seriously condoning his blatant lies," says Aomine.

"No," says Kise, "I'm _serious_. Kurokocchi is totally my first kiss."

"No wonder," is the only comment Kuroko has to offer.

 

 

8.

 

 

 _WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN_ , Kise asks, marking the message as high priority.

"Ryouta," says Akashi, levelly through the static, "please stop disturbing me in class."

 

 

9.

 

 

"How do you even get my number," Midorima demands.

"Takaocchi and I are close," says Kise. "Also I promised to hook him up with a few girls. Or boys. Whatever floats his boat."

"I hope you go die," Midorima informs him.

"That school of yours is doing wonders for your social skills," says Kise, sadly.

Midorima proceeds to show him exactly how much by pointedly hanging up.

 

 

10.

 

 

Kuroko's not easy to get close to. He's reticent, except to some, and he prefers to go with the flow for non-basketball matters, it's a wonder Momoi never went crazy pining after him.

The constant touching must have helped some.

That's where the problem is, isn't it?

"Sometimes he's too quiet," says Kise, "I don't understand him at all."

"But that's part of his charm, isn't it?" Momoi insists. "He's not _Dai-chan_ , at least."

"I'm right here," says Aomine, irritated.

"So am I," says Kuroko.

Kise takes a look at Aomine – a long, lingering look from head to toe. "Yeah," he affirms, "thank god for that."

 

 

11.

 

 

A photographer propositioned him once, in middle school. She was beautiful and mature and had a chest size that would have riled Aomine up, but for the life of him Kise couldn't think of why he'd never said yes.

"I think it's pretty telling," says Midorima, snidely.

Whatever. Midorima's totally jealous about his luck.

 

 

12.

 

 

Top three hauls for Valentine's day, in ascending order:

Murasakibara, because he literally begs for sweets and plasters himself around the home economics room. Also because the girls think he's cute.

Akashi, because secretly everyone wants to get into the captain's pants and good graces.

Kise, _because_.

Aomine hates Valentine's day.

 

 

13.

 

 

White day is a pain in the ass.

 

 

14.

 

 

Contrary to popular opinion, Kise gets detention.

His teachers just wish he would stop _texting_ all the time.

"Can't you turn off your phone like Kuroko-kun does," says Morizaki-sensei.

"Is that why he never replies," Kise wilts into his seat.

Morizaki-sensei rubs the bridge of his nose. _Kids_.

 

 

15.

 

 

There's a thin line between rivalry and belligerent sexual tension.

He just wishes Kuroko aims some of the latter his way.

 

 

16.

 

 

The first kiss – it's a joke. It's a thing. Aomine should never sneak in beer, and no one should ever let Momoi choose the drinking games because she _never loses_.

Kuroko's jaw was rough, to Kise's fingers – not entirely hairless from a distance, the slightest growth of stubble a separation from fantasy. Their teeth knocked, and his lips were cracked from the cold. His eyes fluttered open and shut.

One more thing that he'd discovered: his mouth tasted like his dinner -- leftover tonkatsu, soy sauce, and Asahi.

It tasted a little like hope.

 

 

17.

 

 

The next one, Kise doesn't ask, just takes, and takes, and takes, because he was never good at waiting.

And Kuroko, he just -- he lets him anyway.

It feels like a punch to the gut (it is).

 

 

18.

 

 

That day in freshman year, when he'd asked for the first time:

"You and I, we were never meant to be like that, were we," says Kuroko, after turning him down.

"Yeah," says Kise, with a hand held out, his heart, young and reckless, "but I'll never stop asking."

 

 

19.

 

 

They never become partners in basketball.

Through years of middle school and high school and university, through Aomine and Kagami and whoever else it is Kuroko finds in the future, Kise knows this truth like a familiar ache, honesty brutal enough that he can never live without.

He stops wishing they did.

Because the truth is: it's enough like this.

It's always enough.

 

 

20.

 

 

"I lied," says Kuroko, and Kise feels the smile against his nape, small and soft. His hair parted, brushed away by Kuroko's questioning hand. "I like it, I think."

His mouth. It's still dry.

Smaller things – he only wants this.

 

 

&

 

 

Kise's always been a bit of a romantic.

 

 


End file.
